Hay-rack coupling.



ma nomas PETERS co.. muro-Unia. wAsnINGrnN n c NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

FRANK R. ERAL, OF POCAHONTAS, IOWA.

HAY-RACK COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,452, dated October 1, 1901. Application lcd January 28, 1901. Serial No. 45,047. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. ERAL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pocahontas, in the county of Pocahontas and State of Iowa, have invented a newand useful Hay- Rack Coupling, of which the following is a speciication.

Myinvention relates to hay-rack couplings, and more particularly to a coupling that is to be applied to the cross-pieces and standards of the rack; and it has for its object to produce a coupling which can be manufactured very cheaply and which will rigidly hold the parts of the rack together and can be quickly and easily applied.

With these objects in View my invention consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement of parts of a hay-rack and the coupling therefor, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same referencenumerals indicate corresponding parts in each of the Views in which they occur, Figure l is a perspective view of a hay-rack provided with my improved coupling. Fig. 2 is a similar View of `one corner of the same, enlarged. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the coupling detached, and Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views taken at right angles to each other.

In practicing myinvention I form the hayrack in the usual manner, with the top pref'- erably larger than the bottom, so as to flare outwardly to permit of the load being eX- tended ont over the wheels. The rack consists of the two bottom pieces 3, which are set on edge, and the cross-pieces 4, which are connected with the bottom pieces 3, the same extending transversely of the bottom pieces and projecting at each end beyond the sides thereof.

2 designates a plurality of standards,which are connected together by longitudinally-extending bars l. These standards at their ends are secured to the projecting ends of the cross-pieces 4 by means of my improved coupler 5, which consists of a piece of casting, preferably formed from malleable iron, provided with two sockets 6 and 7, arranged side by side substantially at right angles to each other. The larger one of the sockets 6 is arranged longitudinally of the casting and is preferably closed at its outer end, as by extending the outer wall 8 of the other socket. Its walls are perforated, as shown at 9, for the reception of a bolt lO, which is adapted to pass through the end of the cross-piece 4 to which the socket is attached and securely hold itin position in said socket. The other socket is preferably open at both ends for the passage of the standard 2 and is preferably located at-the outer end of one side of the castingand is inclined sufficiently to dispose the standard at the proper inclination with respect to the bottom of the rack to cause the sides of said rack to flare outwardly at their upper ends. If desired, the corners of the casting forming the socket '7 may be thickcned to form a bead-like projection 1l,which will add to the strength of the casting and permit of the walls being made light and thin. Considerable trouble has heretofore been experienced in securing the ends of the cross-pieces to the standards in such manner as to give the rack the necessary rigidity without weakening the structure, as by halving them together or by trying to hold them in contact, as by means of a clevis-like loop or staple.

From the above description it is evident that a rack constructed in accordance with my invention will possess great strength and rigidity, that it will be impossible for the Weight of. the load upon the sides of the rack to force the standards outward, and that the part-s of the rack can be secured together very quickly and at but a slight cost.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a hay-rack, the combinatiomwith the cross-pieces of the bottom of the rack, of castings upon each ,end of each of the crosspieces, each casting provided with two sockets arranged side by side and substantially at right angles to each other, the Vertical socket being inclined, and the longitudinal socket receiving the cross-pieces being closed at its outer end and having its vertical side walls perforated, a bolt through the perforated side walls and the end of the crosspiece, and a standard fitting in each of the vertical sockets of the castings, substantially as described.

ICO

right angles to each other, the vertical side Walls of the horizontal socket being perforated, and the vertical socket being inclined with the outer corners of the Walls thereof provided With Vertical bead-like projections, and tbe rear Wall thereof being extended to close the outer end of the horizontal socket, 2o substantially as described.

FRANK R. ERAL.

Witnesses:

FRANK S. STEGGE, GEORGE A. HEALD. 

